Jacob Behmen: An Appreciation

A sympathetic lecture presents the life, writings, and spiritual experiences of a mystic, emphasizing his humble trade, visionary revelations, and autobiographical passages embedded in his works. It traces his early spiritual anguish, subsequent visions of God that compelled him to record profound theological and natural insights, and his insistence that his writings were received directly from the divine while acknowledging ongoing personal struggle and infirmity. The essay sketches the structure and character of his principal writings, recommends collecting autobiographical fragments, and discusses how his thought combines mystical experience, theological reflection, and personal humility.